You're the Only Reason My Patronus Works
by Jay.Misnomer
Summary: "The boy smiled at his Professor, sad that they had to part. With one final glance at the man he wished to be like, Cedric stepped onto the train and into a new adventure."


**AN: **To whom this may concern,

Congratulations you are about to step into the world of my imagination. Good luck. Really you'll need it. Anyways I'm new at this, if that makes any real difference, so forgive me if there are any flaws and I take full ownership of them. There are oc's in this story so if you don't like those, discontinue reading. **I will disclaim** that Harry Potter is and always will be J.K. Rowling's. Anyways, I will also be doing a character summary for every new character that is introduced at a certain point, whether it be mine or the author afore mentioned. So enjoy you're read.

Sincerely,

JM

**Cedric Diggory**- Has gone back in time to stop the rise of the Dark Lord as a request from Dumbledore. And just how is he going to pull that off? By befriending a stubborn Tom Marvolo Riddle. Whether or not he succeeds depends entirely on fate itself. With his heart torn over Cho, becoming friends with a jolly young Hagrid, adjusting to a new time period, exploring in depth Tom's darkened past, and having conflicting emotions over a certain wide-eyed girl; there's no guarantee whether or not the Hufflepuff will make it out of this unscathed...

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><p><em>"Remember Cedric, my good boy, when the end comes wait for the signal at King's Cross."<em>

Dumbledore had told this to the boy in question shortly before the first task of the Triwizard Tournament. Cedric Diggory had no idea that 'the end' meant death, but now that he was dead, Dumbledore's meaning seemed quite obvious.

He was now sitting at King's Cross station like what seemed to him to be only a couple of hours. In that time he met many people who had died too. Some were ready to move on to what laid beyond the train station and others were desperately looking for a way back to those they abruptly left behind. Meeting these people made Cedric realize he didn't know which direction he wanted to go. While he contemplated this, he sat patiently for some sort of sign or signal.

And when it felt like he had been waiting for about two hours, that sign came to him in the form of Dumbledore himself. Upon seeing each other, they both had some how found themselves on a more barren platform.

Standing a few feet in front of him was the beloved Headmaster of Hogwarts; in his usual star patterned robes, elbow-length hair, and that familiar twinkle in his pale blue eyes. Cedric stood there, unsure whether or not to be overjoyed or grieved at seeing the old man here.

"Cedric." Dumbledore greeted, walking over and holding his arms out to the boy. Cedric hugged him back still unsure how to feel. "You look a bit pale. I'd offer you some candy but, sadly, I don't have any at the moment/

"Professor how…" Cedric trailed off, not sure what exactly to ask first.

"Oh yes, I should probably explain. Severus killed me." The older man stated simply.

"Ah, well I suppose that's better than being killed by Voldemort via Peter Pettigrew." The blond said after a moment.

Dumbledore looked at him with some amusement. "Yes I suppose it is."

They were both silent for a time. Cedric trying to get all of his questions in order and Dumbledore patiently giving him that time.

"Why did Snape kill you?" Cedric asked.

"I asked him to." His counterpart replied. Cedric rubbed his forehead, or at least, made the motion of doing so. He wanted to press his professor for more details but felt that that would be intrusive. Not that the elderly man would see it that way, he was just too polite.

"How were things going before you got here?" A shadow came over the Professor's features and for a moment he looked a bit worn.

"To be honest, Mr. Diggory, I don't really know. I, of course, had a plan set out, but whether or not it succeeds depends solely upon the choices of it's executors." The white haired man sighed. "There is a chance that Harry might fail."

Cedric blinked, trying to process Dumbledore's last sentence. He couldn't. "That's impossible Harry couldn't fail. He's got the best army a person could ever ask for, plus there's everyone here that's rooting for him."

The elder man put a hand on his shoulder. "I admire your faith in Harry, you truly are a loyal friend, but for the boy we speak of death is tempting place."

Cedric's eyebrows shot up. "Harry isn't going to die."

"I'm afraid he must, dear boy. A severed part of Voldemort's soul entwined itself to Harry. In order for Harry or anyone to defeat Voldemort that piece within him and subsequently himself must die." Dumbledore explained. He then began to pat his robes. "Oh how I wish I had a lemon drop." He muttered.

"How will Harry defeat Voldemort if he has to die?"

"Harry has in his possession the three Deathly Hallows. I'm sure you're familiar with the story?" Cedric nodded, he was told that tale as a boy.

Every base had bee briefly covered, but something was troubling him. "So why am I here? What exactly is it that you need of me?"

Dumbledore looked at his young charge. He was hoping toto put this off a little longer but Cedric needed to know. "Cedric, you must promise to let me finish uninterrupted." The boy nodded. "Harry has already decided to leave this Earth to be with his parents. Now, now you promised you'd wait. It was not an easy decision and you nor I can blame him for making it. For such a young man he's been through too much if you ask me. What's done is done. Let's not dwell on it and move forward.

"Upon realizing this might be an out come I mad a back up plan. You Cedric are allowed to use the power of the Deathly Hallows to over come death. This is because you were the last person to die protecting Harry. If you remember, dear one, in the grave Harry told you to go but you stayed, reinforcing the charm his mother put over him many years ago. That simple act bound you and Harry as it bound he and his mother. He has allowed you to use this power to return to life." Dumbledore stopped speaking allowing all of this to sink in.

Cedric was quiet for several long moments, his mind a complete haze. The thought of living again somewhat elated him, but the death and destruction he would most certainly see left him with a sense of foreboding. "You want me to kill Voldemort in Harry's place?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "No, Cedric, I want you to make sure that Voldemort never comes to be."

Now, the younger man was really confused. What exactly did that mean? The elder wizard answered his unspoken question. "I want to to go back to a time when Voldemort was a young man named Tom Riddle. I want you to befriend him so that he stays as Tom Riddle."

"You want me to befriend a mass murderer?" Cedric asked, bewildered by the notion.

"No. I wasn't you to befriend a miserable boy who comes to do awful things because no one bothered to give him the joy of friendship."

Cedric thought hard. He really did want to help, but more along the lines of killing Voldemort, not befriending his younger person. And if he went back in time he wouldn't see…Cho. There was so much he wanted to say to her that the place where his heart should have been ached.

"But if I go back in time I wont be able to see-" He quickly stopped himself.

"Miss Chang?" Dumbledore asked. Cedric nodded. "Well, there's no guarantee that you'll see her in what's considered the present. And if you do, you might not like the state she's in. Voldemort doesn't take kindly to those who support Harry."

That implication mad that former Hufflepuff cringe; the thought of someone he held dear or anyone being tortured. And that very thought solidified his resolve.

"Alright Professor, I'll do it." He said at last. "But I have a few questions before I go."

Dumbledore nodded for him to continue.

"First, what happens if I do succeed? Do I live out my life or come back here? And how on Earth am I going to befriend Tom Riddle? I'm a Hufflepuff, I'll be lucky if he gives me the time of day."

The man with a twinkle in his eye, smiled at him. "I don't know what will happen when you succeed. The magic that governs us is quite mysterious in that way. And I believe in you, Cedric, your house will make no difference in the end. Just be that loyal friend and be persistent, Tom's a stubborn fellow. I asked you to do this because I knew you would be the best person for the task."

"Okay, just one more thing. How did you know I was going to die?"

"I didn't. But when Harry's name was pulled out of the Cup I knew that none of the contestants were safe. Then I saw you and Harry talking and had a wave of foreboding come over me. I hoped my worries were for naught but I said those things to you just in case."

Cedric nodded, taking everything in.

"I'm ready." Just as he said those words a train pulled up to their platform.

"Well I suppose you should be heading off." Dumbledore said while pulling him into a tight hug. "And remember, Cedric do not lose yourself. And that you always have a friend at Hogwarts regardless of the time."

The boy smiled at his Professor, sad that they had to part. With one final glance at the man he wished to be like, Cedric stepped onto the train and into a new adventure.


End file.
